Keep the veggies coming

Even with August temperatures still sizzling, the time is right to plant late-summer and early-fall vegetables, taking advantage of shortening days and ever-so-slightly cooler nighttime temperatures.

Horticulturists call the transitions between peak growing seasons “shoulder seasons.” August through October offers a short window to squeeze in fast-growing warm-season crops before a killing frost and to jumpstart cool-season veggies while the soil is still warm. Shoulder seasons help catapult your garden into year-round production.

By August, much of the vegetable garden has been harvested or has succumbed to heat, insects and diseases. Revive heat-weary summer gardens and protect against future pest problems by first completely removing dead and diseased plants that may harbor overwintering insects and diseases. Rake and remove plant parts that have fallen to the ground, and clean debris from trellises and supports.

Tall summer weeds can be mowed down; shorter weeds can be smothered with thick layers of wet newspaper. Don’t till again; overworking the soil disrupts soil organisms and causes compaction. Instead, amend the soil with a thin layer of compost, and apply a few inches of an organic mulch, such as straw or leaves, between the rows to keep weeds at bay and retain moisture.

A soil test is always a good idea. But without one, fertilize using the general recommendation of three to six pounds of 5-10-10, broadcasting this complete fertilizer before planting. Each type of vegetable has its own fertilizer needs; refer to the Clemson Home and Garden Information Center to research mid-season fertilizer rates for what you’ll be growing.

Finally, be sure to rotate plant families in your garden to outwit diseases and pests. For example, if you grew squash in the summer months, plant your fall crop in a location other than where you last planted.

Here’s a partial list of what you can start growing this month:

Snap beans are warm-season crops that grow fast and are prolific producers. Bush and half-runner types do best this time of year; they’re easy to start from seed and mature quickly, producing pods within 50 to 60 days of planting. Recommended varieties of bush beans include Bush Blue Lake 274, Contender, Provider and Red Swan. Half-runner beans are typically grown like bush beans, but, with runners up to 3 feet long, a short trellis can make harvesting easier. Try the heirloom variety Mountaineer White, which produces beans in 57 days. Bean flowers can sometimes drop off plants when temperatures soar over 90 degrees, but as the temperatures cool, you’ll find more pods developing.

Didn’t get enough squash this summer? Plant a second crop now. Yellow squash and zucchini mature so fast, they’re perfect for shoulder season planting. Just be sure to have a few flowering plants nearby to attract pollinating insects.

Our mild winters are a perfect time for a wide variety of easy-to-grow root vegetables and leafy greens. While the soil is still warm from summer, sow seeds of beets, carrots, collards, lettuce, kale, spinach and mustard.

To extend production, try the succession-planting method. Simply sow a new batch of seeds every one to two weeks, so when one crop is ready to harvest, the next one is up and growing, keeping you stocked for months to come.

AMY L. DABBSis an area horticulture agent for Clemson Extension based in Charleston County. Contact her at adabbs@clemson.edu.